Classes / Schedules / Fees

DAYTIME YOUTH CLASSES

LEARN TO SAIL CLASS $100.00 per sailor

Ages 6 – 19

Monday thru Thursday 12:30pm – 3:30pm

Our Learn To Sail classes are designed for both first-time sailors and experienced sailors. Instruction is tailored to individual student needs. Younger students sail 8 foot long Optimist Pram sailboats alone or with a partner depending on skill level. Older students sail alone or with a partner on 12 foot long Butterfly sailboats. Students may request to be paired with a friend.

Beginner students will learn water safety, sailing terminology, names and functions of boat parts and points of sail. Students will learn to rig the boat themselves. Students will experience steering the boat, trimming sails, and learning to sail both upwind and downwind.

Experienced students will continue to build their sailing skills including sail trim, boat handling, and how to read wind and weather conditions. Younger students may be paired with older students to experience the fun of sailing on two-person JY15 sailboats on the final day of class each week. Students in this class may receive a brief introduction to racing as a positive and exciting way to enjoy sailing. Students who are interested in improving their racing skills may also receive unique instruction. Junior sailors who are interested in racing typically take this class 2 or more sessions before joining the Muskegon Junior Race Team.

Our 2017 Daytime Youth Sailing Classes run Monday thru Thursday for one week during each of the following sessions. The week of July 4 will be a discounted 3 day session.

Session 1: July 5 – 7 (discounted 3 day session due to July 4th holiday)

Session 2: July 10 – 13

Session 3: July 17 – 20

Session 4: July 24 – 27

Session 5: July 31 – Aug 3

Session 6: Aug 7 – 10

Session 7: Aug 14 – 17

More time on the water makes for better sailors – so students are strongly encouraged to enroll in more than one session each summer. Our one week classes enable families to flexibly plan multiple sailing classes around their other summer activities. All students need to wear a swim suit and bring a life jacket to class. We also encourage you to send a bottle of water with your child.

Some class sessions may include field trips or other special outings. These outings will provide students with opportunities to explore and learn beyond our regular learn to sail curriculums. On a select day, students from that week’s classes may collectively engage in one of a variety of planned activities that could include on-shore activities, exercises in navigation, or sailing to destinations around Muskegon Lake. Other possible outings include a private guided tour of the Muskegon Coast Guard Station, a trip to a local sail making business, or a hands-on tour of the Grand Valley State University Water Quality Institute. The exact schedule for which week these special outings may take place will be communicated as plans for these opportunities develop. Please contact us if you would like to know which week a specific outing will be offered.

YOUTH RACING

ONE WEEK YOUTH RACE CAMP $100.00 per sailor

Ages 9-19

June 26 – 29 12:00pm – 4:00pm

In recent years, hundreds of West Michigan youth sailors have discovered how fun it is to race sailboats and attend large youth sailing regattas. Kids of all ages and skill levels now have more opportunities than ever to experience the excitement, friendships and personal satisfaction that sailboat racing provides. Summer youth sailing regattas, high school sailing programs and college sailing teams are growing rapidly throughout the country. High school sailing participation in the Midwest has nearly tripled in the past 5 years!

This special week-long youth race camp is the perfect opportunity for your child to explore and/or grow their experience in this extremely popular sport!

Sailors who are already racing and those who are interested in racing for the first time are both welcome in this class and will receive personalized instruction based upon their individual skill levels.

First timers will be introduced to the Racing Rules of Sailing, will learn how races are conducted and will receive focused instruction about how to sail their boat in a race. Experienced racers will receive more advanced instruction focused on boat handling, sail trim and racing tactics. The importance of safety, sportsmanship, personal responsibility and team spirit will be emphasized at all levels.

Day long classes provide students with a wide variety of classroom and abundant on-the-water experiences. Sailors will be assigned boats based upon skill level and physical ability. Students will sail individually on Optimist, Butterfly or Laser sailboats. As the week progresses, students may sail in pairs on Butterfly or JY15 sailboats to explore the fun of racing with a teammate.

Upon completion of this one week Race Camp, sailors will be prepared for and will learn about opportunities to attend one or more of several West Michigan youth sailing regattas in the summer of 2017. Students and their parents will also learn more about the high school and college sailing programs currently taking place in West Michigan.

Students signing up for this class should have some sailing experience or have completed some of the sailing classes listed above. Sailors should bring a botle of water, a life jacket, sunglasses and towel.

EXPERIENCED YOUTH SAILOR PASSES

Monday thru Thursday 12:00pm – 4:00pm July 5 – August 17

This is a great opportunity for experienced sailors with established sailing knowledge to have more tiller time on the water, develop new friendships and have fun sailing. In addition to receiving unique, skill-level appropriate supervision during our regular classes, Pass Holder activities may include a variety of experiences including skills challenges, fun competitions, and sailing to destinations around Muskegon Lake. Because skill level is important, purchases of Season and Punch Passes must be approved by the Sailing School Director.

SEASON PASS (attend as many days of regular class as you wish) $300.00 per sailor

12 PUNCH PASS (attend up to 12 days of regular class) $200.00 per sailor

4 PUNCH PASS (attend 4 more days after completing one week of class) $80.00 per sailor

EVENING CLASSES FOR MEN, WOMEN, TEENS AND FAMILIES

Monday evenings 5:30pm – 8:30pm June 26 – August 14

Are you an adult who simply wants to try sailing? Are you and your friends looking for a fun alternative to “book club” or “girls night out”? Would you like to learn to sail with one of your children? Are you a teenager who has a job or sports practices during the day? This is the perfect opportunity for you to get out on the water! Students in this class will learn water safety, sailing terminology, names and functions of boat parts, points of sail, steering, boat handling skills, sail trim, tacking, jibing, reaching, and both upwind and downwind sailing. Students may sail alone, in pairs, or with an instructor on Butterfly, Laser or JY15 sailboats. This course is well suited for both first time and experienced sailors. Instruction is tailored to each student’s skill level or knowledge. Students should bring a life jacket and wear a swim suit or clothes that can get wet.

First-time sailors are required to complete two-sessions of Learning & Orientation. Upon completion of the Orientation, repeat and returning sailors may purchase as many additional sessions as they wish on a per-evening basis. Instruction is continually adjusted as sailors become more experienced.